Load tipping device



1965 R. 5. SMITH 3,203,010

LOAD TIPPING DEVI CE Filed April 11, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 /n vpn for:

1965 R. s. SMITH 3,203,010

LOAD TIPPING DEVI GE Filed April 11, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/g. i #2 #6v i L /22 MA .5 i

1965 R. 5. SMITH 3,203,010

LOAD TIPPING DEVICE Filed April 11, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 /n Vf) for:

1, 1965 R. 5. SMITH 3,203,010

LOAD TIPPING DEVICE Filed April 11, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I /n yen for:

MQJQZEAZQ United States Patent 3,203,010 LGAD THPING DEVICE RussellSmith, RED. 3, Alford, Mass. Filed Apr. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 272,489Claims. (Cl. 5-86) The invention relates to a machine or device for loadtipping preferably built in oblong structural form and adapted andshaped to receive and support a comparatively heavy load body, and to betipped lengthwise with the load by manual or power operated means, intodifferent angular positions, such as may facilitate the placing on orthe removal from the structure of the load.

In accordance with a principal feature of the invention the oblongload-carrying structure, normally positioned on or close to the floor,is provided with mechanical means for lengthwise tipping of thestructure and load by raising one end of the structure and at the sametime lowering the other end thereof for the purpose of changing theposition of the structure between or including the horizontal andvertical, in order to facilitate the loading and unloading.

As an additional feature the structure is constructed for tippingmovement about a fixed or varying axial pivoting line in eitherdirection by said mechanical means, said line being located near thefront end of the structure and at a point lower than the center ofgravitation of load and structure.

In accordance with a more particular feature the axial or pivotingcenter for the tipping movement is established by a curved portion ofthe load structure, which continuously engages the floor during itsmovements between the horizontal and vertical.

In accordance with another important feature the mechanical means foreffecting the tipping action includes a manually or power drivenoperating unit located on the floor, a rigid lever member connectedbetween the load structure, near the rear end thereof, and the saidunit, and forming an angle with the structure, and expanding orcontracting connecting means connected be tween said operating unit andsaid structure, near the front end thereof, said connecting means beingoperative by said operating unit to vary the distance between the unitand the front end, thereby varying said angle for raising or loweringthe rear end and lowering or raising the front end.

In accordance with a more specific feature the struc ture is providedwith a plurality of wheels, normally effective for rolling the structurebetween, for example, loading and unloading locations and removablymounted for placing the load structure directly on the floor during thetipping action.

Further features will appear from the following detail description andthe accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are plan side-views, schematic, of three differenttypes of apparatus adapted to operate in accordance with and for thepurposes of the invention;

FIG. 1A is a similar type cross-sectional view, particularly taken online 1A1A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a general side-view of the device in horizontal position;

FIG. 5 is an end-view of the right-hand or pivoting end of the device,as it appears in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the right-hand or pivoting end of theframe, showing in detail the mechanism for raising and lowering theframe with the frame positioned off the floor;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are detail views of parts shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 6 but show- 3,2@3,l PatentedAug. 31, 1965 ing the mechanism in two positions with the frame loweredto rest on the floor;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the left-hand or raising end of thedevice;

FIGS. 9, l0 and 11 are sectional views of the lefthand or raising end ofthe frame in raised position, showing various details of the raisingmechanism;

FIG. 12 is a general side-view of the device as raised in verticalposition.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A the load carrying structure proper forcarrying the load L comprises a load bed or frame 10 shown raised abovethe fioor in horizontal position. The bed 10 may be made up of two ormore lengthwise bars 1212 interconnected by end bars 14-14 and two ormore cross-bars 16-16 for rigid support of the load. At the left or rearend suitable handles 18 may be part of the load bed and at the right orfront end some suitable end stop 20 may also be part of the bed forpreventing the load from sliding off the bed when out of the horizontal.

Provided for support on the floor is another frame 39 made up of twolengthwise bars 3232 rigidly connected to the rear end of bed 10 by twovertical spacing bars 34 and to the front end of the bed throughupwardly curved sections 36 ending flush with the end stop 20.

Thus the bed may be tipped by a partial wheel action, or rolling, alongthe floor over the two curved sections 36 into the vertical position, asshown in dot-dash, somewhat further to the right than in the horizontal.

The curved section 36 may be shaped into a quarter circle, causing thegravity point P of the load to be at the same distance from the floor invertical and horizontal, requiring lifting force only during the firstpart of the movement. However, the curved section may be shaped to havedifferent radii at its ends with some advantage in special cases, suchas in hospital beds. By such difference the lifting force may bedistributed to be greater during raising of the bed or during loweringthereof. This is illustrated in FIG. 1, where, in the horizontalposition of the bed, the horizontal radius R is somewhat larger than thevertical radius r. The required lifting force will of course vary withthe changing position of the pivoting center C during tipping.

It should be understood that for the raising and lowering of the bed 10the pivoting center C may be supported by other means than the curvedframe section, such as in bearings mounted in a wheel 38 or mounted in awheeled support 39 standing on the floor, as indicated schematically inFIGS. 2 and 3, respectively.

In accordance with the invention mechanism is provided for applyingpower to the load structure for the purposes already described.

Thus a power supplying mechanism 40 is located on the floor somedistance to the left 'of the load structure and includes a powerapplying device 42 connected to one or two lifting rods 44 extending atan angle up to fixed pivot joints 46 on the raising or rear end of theload bed 10.

The object is for the power supplying device W to move the powerapplying device 42 along the floor toward the load bed 10 and therebyexerting longitudinal force through the rods 44 which in turn exert araising force at points 46 to the raising'end of the load bed 10. Thusthe bed, as pivoted at center C, will be moved gradually into thevertical position, shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 1. This action thusis effected by reducing the obtuse angle X between the raising rods 44and the bed frame 10 to a much smaller or acute angle Y.

The equipment 40, 42, 44 may form a permanent part of the load structureor may be detachable therefromtand remain available at the places ofloading or'unloading for future use.

The necessary action of the power applying device 42 against the floormay of course be secured by friction. Or devices 40 and 42 may be drawnalong the floor toward a point near the load structure in its verticalposi- .tion allowing for the full movement :of the parts 40, 42, 44 toestablish the angle Y, a suitable cable 50 and wind ing :dr-um 52 beingpart of the equipment for the raising action.

The power supply device 40 may be a push button controlled power engineor it may be a hand-driven mechanrsm.

The loading of the load structure may of course be made by a crane Whilethe structure is horizontal. When it is set vertical for receiving theload on ground level the tipping action into horizontal may be startedby some force until the load center P passes over the pivot center C,whereupon the equipment 40, 42 may be operated to counteract the furthermovement for a slow return to the horizontal and the floor.

FIGS. 4 to 11 present various views and details of a somewhat modifiedform of the invention which is particularly adapted for holding abed-spring and for an endwise tipping action intended for helping apatient with a weak back or other defect to get into or out of thehorizontal position, and out of or into the vertical position.

This load structure, as will appear particularly from FIGS. 4 and 12, isessentially of the type shown more schematically in FIG. 1.

The two side frames 100 each include the same elements for the samefunctions as in FIG. 1, namely the horizontal bar 102, adapted formounting of bed-spring and mattress; the curved bar 104 for floorsupport and tipping action; various horizontal cross-bars, such as 106,106', 107, 107' for inter-connecting the side frames; the vertical bars108 and various other effects, as described hereinafter.

Each side frame 100 in addition includes handle bars 110, 112 forsafeguarding the patient during the tipping action.

The bars 102 includes fixed connectors 114 for attachment of thebed-spring (not shown).

The vertical parts 104 of bars 104 are extended upward for suitablemounting of a foot-board 116.

In horizontal position the load structure is supported on two pairs ofwheels 120 and 122 which both are removable from the position shown inFIG. 4, for the load structure to rest directly on the floor during thetipping action.

Referring more particularly to the adjustable supporting wheel equipmentshown in detail in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the wheels 120 are shown in FIG.in position for holding the frame structure off the floor at theright-hand or foot end.

For this purpose the cross-bars 106 and 106', fixedly attached to thetwo bars 104, serve as support for the two wheel mechanisms, which areseparately adjustable for their removal from the floor.

Each wheel mechanism at the foot end, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 includesa U-shaped mounting 123 for the wheel 120, pivotally fastened at 124 toa vertical rod 125 and a-horizontal rod 126 the far ends of which areinterconnected by a rod or bar 128 to form a rigid triangle therewith.The free end of rod 126 is pivotally mounted on cross-bar 106 forpivotal movement of the triangle .and wheel 120 into the two positionsshown in FIG. 7.

The wheel mechanism further includes a control handle 130 with a longscrew-rod 132 which passes through a threaded disc 134 pivotally mountedin a U-bracket 136 fixed on the upper end of rod 125, as shown more indetail in FIG. 6A. A disc 138 with a hook-formed extension 140 is heldclose to the handle 130 free to swing about rod 132 by a disc 142fastened to the rod 132.

With the load structure at rest in its horizontal position, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, the wheel mechanism in both units will be posed with barsor rods 125, 126 and 132 in substantially horizontal and verticalpositions; the rod being held in engagement with cross-bar 106 bypressure applied by the handle turned so as to screw the rod 132 tightin the threaded disc 134, and the hooked disc 138, acting as a bearingfor the rod 132, being held stationary by pressing as a clamp againstcrossbar 106.

Thus the rod 125 carries the weight of the foot end of the loadstructure 100 through the clamp and also through the rod 126 and bar 128attached to the structure 100 through the cross-rod 106'. The pressureon the triangles is of course extended to the wheels 120.

When the load structure is to be raised into the vertical position theright hand end will first be lowered into contact with the floor.

For this purpose the handle 130 is turned to permit the upper end of rod125 to move toward the left under the weight acting on rod 106' Withrespect to the center of wheel 120, the clamp 140 remaining in pressurecontact with rod 106. This action will be continued by the turning ofhandle 130 until the position, shown in dotdash in FIG. 7, is reached,when the structure will be on the floor.

With the cross-bar 106 lowered, the screw rod will be reaching upward tothe pivoted disc 134, thereby still having control of the position ofthe triangle. After a few more turns of the handle the hook 140 may beremoved from contact with cross-bar 106 and the triangle with itsassociated parts, including the handle and the wheel may be swung fullyinside the curved bar 104, as shown in full in FIG. 7, for free actionin the raising of the load structure 100. In this position a pin 144extending from the fixed rod 106 may be aligned by hand with a slot 148in a suitable locking bushing 150 fastened on the mounting bracket 146for the triangle. The mounting 146 being slideable on bar 106' the wholetriangle structure, with handle included, may be moved along the baruntil the pin 144 passes into the slot 148, :so that the whole trianglestructure will be an-gu'larly locked in the position shown in full inFIG. 7, during the raising of the bedstructure into vertical position.

Referring now more particularly to the supporting wheel equipment forthe left or head end, shown in detail in FIGS. 8, 9, l0 and 11, thewheels 122 are shown in position for holding the frame structure off thefloor at this end.

For this purpose a rigid, movable frame is provided for the two wheels122, which comprises two horizontal cross-bars 107 and 107' fixedlyinter-connected by two lengthwise bars 162 disposed at adjustable angleswith respect to the floor. The frame, thus formed, is somewhat narrowerthan the bed structure and the two crossbars are extended beyond thisframe for adjustable attachment to the horizontal bars 102 and thevertical rods 108.

The two wheels 122 are pivotally mounted on the bar 107 between the rods108 and bars 162. On each vertical structure rod 108 is mounted avertically disposed latch 164, pivoted at point 166 to be able to swingaway from rod 108. The lower edge of the latches is shaped for normalengagement with the end portions of the rods 107 and thus the latchesserve to apply the weight of the bedstructure to the wheels 122. Thelatches may however be fastened rigidly to rod 108 for this purpose.

This lifting frame 107, 107, 162 normally extends upward from the wheelsat an angle with the fioor to a point on the bars 102 where the twoextended ends of bar 107' are joined with bars 102 by slideable mounting170 which may be fixed in different positions to the bars 102 by meansof hand screws 172. The lifting frame may be swung to diiferent anglesabout the center of this mounting by means of T -s1eeves 173.

With the wheels 122 in normal position, as shown in FIG. 4, the rods 162extend through almost the whole length of the bed structure, and thusthe frame is stored out of the way. In this position the cross-bar 107may be held close to vertical bars 108 by tightening at the mountings170. Each latch 164 may have a suitable clasp 174 to hold the latch innormal vertical position by its clasp on bar 108.

When it becomes desirable to lower this head end of the bed to the floorafter the foot end has been lowered the hand screws 172 are loosenedfrom the bars 102 permitting mounting 170 to slide to the left andpermitting the frame, by hand force, to push the bar 107, wheels 122 andlatches 164 toward the left away from the bar 108, thereby causing thebed to land on the floor, as shown in dot-dash in FIG. 11. The bed maybe eased down by easing the screws 172 and thereby applying resistanceto the rolling of the wheels 122. When the wheels are moved further awaythe latches 164 will fall back on their clips 174.

From this position the bed may of course be raised to the verticalposition, shown in FIG. 12, by direct manual force. However, for easingthe raising action mechanism may be provided which may use mechanicalpower or may reduce the needed manual force.

For this purpose a mechanism 180 may be provided for activating thelifting frame 107, 107', 162, the mechanism being fixedly mounted at themiddle of the bar 107 by means of a mounting 182.

The mounting holds a pivoted spool 184 of rope, wire or cable 186 whichcan be wound or unwound by a handle 188. A ratchet wheel 100 maynormally be held in tightening position by a pawl 192, with knob 194 forrelease by hand.

The rope 186 is brought out of the mechanism through opening 196 and isstrung to the cross bar 106 at the far end of the bed, where it isfastened by suitable means. The rope thus may be tightened by handle 188to secure the wheels in their position against the bed frame in itslifted position. The rope is brought down past cross bar 106' to clearthis bar during the raising action, as shown in FIG. 12.

When it becomes desirable to raise the bed into the vertical positionthe following procedure may be used: loosen hand screws "172, releaseratchet 100 and, by handle 188, slowly relax cable 186; slide mountings170 along bars 102 forcing the wheels and latches away from thestructure, which will move about the wheel centers down into contactwith the floor; roll the lifting frame to the left far enough forfastening of the mountings 170 fairly close to the left end of bars 102,at the same time unwinding the rope; with the friction of curved bars104 against the floor, enhanced by the weight of bed and person, the bedmay now be raised into the vertical by continued winding of the ropeonto spool 184, thereby shortening the distance between the wheels 122and the floor contact of the bars 104 and thus forcing the raised end ofthe lifting frame higher from the floor and forcing the bed into thevertical position, as shown in FIG. 12, the bed structure havingcontacted the floor progressively with successive portions of the curvedbars 104 toward the landing portions thereof.

It will be noted that the lifting action takes place only up to thepoint where the load center P passes over the pivot center C; thereafterand until the landing on the floor the weight takes over. This may becounter balanced by a smaller weight mounted on the cross-rod 106',which thus would have the effect of moving the center P further to theleft.

In the case of loading in the vertical and tipping into the horizontal,the cable 186 may be gradually loosened for free movement while at firstthe weight is lifted over the point C, as by hand power or otherwise,and thereafter the further controlled loosening of the ca-ble'may beused for easing the device down to the floor.

Thereafter the lifting mechanism may be stored away inside the loadstructure and the four wheels connected up for transportation.

'For this purpose the front wheels are first swung outward, the hooks140 placed on cross-bar 106 and bandle turned to bring the U-bracket 136back against bar 106 thereby forcing the wheels 120 against the floor,thus raising the front end of the load structure off the floor.

As to the rear wheels their shafts are brought in under the latches andforced in under them by means of the pull on the cable 186 by the handle188; this must be done before the front end is raised.

What is claimed:

'1. A load tipping device comprising an oblong flat frame for carrying aload normally at a distance above floor level, an oblong curved frameattached to said flat frame for support of said flat frame in differentangular positions with respect to floor level, mechanical operatingmeans including a raising frame extending lengthwise and outward fromsaid device and being hinged at its inner end to said flat frame, saidraising frame being operable for tipping said flat frame and said curvedframe lengthwise over a curved portion of said curved frame andtherebytipping said flat frame into a substantially vertical positionfrom a substantially horizontal position or vice versa.

2. A load tipping device in accordance with claim 1 in which saidoperating means includes a power applying spool with cable meansconnected between the other end of said raising frame and the far end ofsaid curved frame and operable to shorten by power the distance betweensa1d two points connected by said cable means, thereby forcing upwardthe said hinged ends for tipping of the load carrying frame. 3. A loadtipping device comprising an oblong carrymg frame for -a load having araising end and a pivoting end, an oblong supporting frame having acurved portion and connected to said carrying frame for support thereofand for tipping thereof over said curved portion into various angularpositions, a raising frame extending outwardly from and being hinged atone end to said raising end at an obtuse angle therewith and powerapplying means connected between the distant lower end of said raisingframe and said curved portion for raising the hinged ends of sandcarrying frame and said raising frame into an acute angle between them,thereby pivoting the carrying frame about said curved portion of thesupporting frame into different raised positions including the vertical.

4. A load tipping device according to claim 3 further comprising aplurality of carrying wheels for said device mounted on said raisingframe and a corresponding plurality of lifting jacks hinged on saidsupporting frame at said raising end, said power applying means beingconnected to said wheels through said raising frame for forcmg thepivots of said wheels in under said lifting jacks and thereby liftingsaid raising end off the floor.

5. load tipping device according to claim 1 further comprising aplurality of supporting wheels, a rigid mounting frame for each of saidwheels pivotally attached to said curved frame for swinging of saidwheel into and locking it in rolling engagement with the floor fortransportation purposes and alternately unlocking and swinging it out ofsaid engagement for lowering of said curved frame into contact with thefloor for the tipping action, said rigid mounting frame includingclamping means for variable attachment of a swinging part of saidmounting frame to said curved frame and screw means operable for forcingsaid wheel into engagement with the floor by action of said screw meansbetween said clamping means and said swinging part, thereby to raisesaid curved frame from cont-act with the floor.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Hadley 297131 Leland 5-62 Shaw 28043.19 Schwartz 586Forrest 5317 Stryker 5-62 X 8 FOREIGN PATENTS 152,53 6 2/38 Austria. 632,018 7/3 6 Germany.

5 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

1. A LOAD TIPPING DEVICE COMPRISING AN OBLONG FLAT FRAME FOR CARRYING ALOAD NORMALLY AT A DISTANCE ABOVE FLOOR LEVEL, AN OBLONG CURVED FRAMEATTACHED TO SIAD FLAT FRAME FOR SUPPORT OF SAID FLAT FRAME IN DIFFERENTANGULAR POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO FLOOR LEVEL, MECHANICAL OPERATINGMEANS INCLUDING A RAISING FRAME EXTENDING LENGTHWISE AND OUTWARD FROMSAID DEVICE AND BEING HINGED AT ITS INNER END TO SAID FLAT FRAME, SAIDRAISING FRAME BEING OPERABLE FOR TIPPING SAID FLAT FRAME AND SAIDRAISING FRAME BEING OPERABLE FOR TIPPING SAID FLAT FRAME AND SAID CURVEDFRAME LENGTHWISE OVER A CURVED PORITON OF SAID CURVED FRAME AND THEREBYTIPPING SAID FLAT FRAME INTO A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL POSITION FROM ASUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION OR VICE VERSA.